Rasta Rasivhenge and Marius Jonker appear to have been punished for questionable decisions they arrived at in last weekend’s Super Rugby matches at Ellis Park and Newlands respectively.

Referee Rasivhenge and television match official (TMO) Jonker were both set to do duty this weekend at Newlands where the Stormers host the Highlanders but both have disappeared off the list of match official appointments.

Australia’s Nic Berry takes control of the match instead of Rasivhenge‚ while TMO duties now fall to Christie du Preez‚ who is no stranger to controversy.

Du Preez has been used sparingly since the Stormers’ victory over the Lions in round two when he was roundly criticised for not flagging an obvious infringement from the hosts.

Two match officials confirmed Rasivhenge and Jonker had been removed from this week’s list of appointees‚ directly as a result of their performances last week.

Rasivhenge invoked the ire of the Highlanders who were on the wrong side of a 12-3 penalty count at Ellis Park.

Unrelated perhaps‚ a week earlier‚ the Lions enjoyed a 13-3 penalty count in their favour against the Waratahs with Egon Seconds in charge.

Seconds is in Australasia where he will be confined to assistant refereeing duties in three matches.

Jonker had the Crusaders fuming at Newlands when he intervened and ruled a forward pass in move that in all probability would have had a direct impact on the result of the match.

After their review his bosses apparently arrived at a different view and Jonker was told so.

Being yanked from this week’s action is quite a step back for Jonker who is one of only two South African match officials‚ along with Jaco Peyper‚ earmarked for Rugby World Cup duty later this year.

TimesLIVE approached SA Rugby for comment but referees high performance manager Mark Lawrence passed the enquiry on to Sanzaar officials based in Sydney.

Sanzaar has confirmed that TMO Marius Jonker’s ruling of a forward pass in the recent clash between the Stormers and Crusaders was wrong.

If it was the ref himself who made the mistake - all good. Forward passes are hard to pick up.

But the TMO.... I hope some stern words are being said behind the scenes.

I am still trying to understand how an official can willingly throw away his career like that...no matter how much he was paid or who ordered him to act in the interest of the Stormers...Stormers will most cerainly not do anything to help him in the future...

Sanzaar has confirmed that TMO Marius Jonker’s ruling of a forward pass in the recent clash between the Stormers and Crusaders was wrong.

If it was the ref himself who made the mistake - all good. Forward passes are hard to pick up.

But the TMO.... I hope some stern words are being said behind the scenes.

I am still trying to understand how an official can willingly throw away his career like that...no matter how much he was paid or who ordered him to act in the interest of the Stormers...Stormers will most cerainly not do anything to help him in the future...

You're assuming he made the call deliberately, knowing he was wrong, Sards? You're basically saying you think he's crooked, is that right? Or do you think he just made a mistake that will cost him a career?

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

the circumstances suggest corruption...declaring a clear and obvious forward pass without the benefit of first reviewing it... And after reviewing it in slow motion he could have changed his mind .....$$$$$$$$$$$$>>>>>

Sanzaar has confirmed that TMO Marius Jonker’s ruling of a forward pass in the recent clash between the Stormers and Crusaders was wrong.

If it was the ref himself who made the mistake - all good. Forward passes are hard to pick up.

But the TMO.... I hope some stern words are being said behind the scenes.

I am still trying to understand how an official can willingly throw away his career like that...no matter how much he was paid or who ordered him to act in the interest of the Stormers...Stormers will most cerainly not do anything to help him in the future...

Sards, it is a bit harsh to be throwing out those types of comments. When I first saw the pass in real time I thought it was forward and only looking at it for a few times in slo mo was it apparent that it was not forward. I feel he was influenced by the crowd watching and making a noise about the pass. He should not have been and at most the decision was biased. If he was on the take there were a number of other instances where he could have intervened. The Saders maul try for example, where a defender was taken out away from the ball. Technically it could have been called back but I was ok with it not being called back as I dont believe it would have prevented the try.

I agree with Sards and (shudder) AC. This stinks of corruption. It is just not credible that a man whose profession is to make these decisions can just such an obvious one wrong, when virtually any casual viewer with an understanding of the law (and rudimentary physics ) immediately realised it was not forward. It didn't look forward in real time (ref rightly played on), and was CLEARLY not forward from the very first view of the replay.

What other explanation is there? I dont buy that a seasoned professional referee can make a "mistake" like that.

Either he's corrupt and got paid off by a betting syndicate (imagine the odds of a draw!); or he's just a cheating fvck who wanted the Stormers to win. I dont see any other options

Sards, it is a bit harsh to be throwing out those types of comments. When I first saw the pass in real time I thought it was forward and only looking at it for a few times in slo mo was it apparent that it was not forward. I feel he was influenced by the crowd watching and making a noise about the pass. He should not have been and at most the decision was biased. If he was on the take there were a number of other instances where he could have intervened. The Saders maul try for example, where a defender was taken out away from the ball. Technically it could have been called back but I was ok with it not being called back as I dont believe it would have prevented the try.

The problem with Jonker is that he always believes he's right and he doesn't change his mind. He had decided that it was forward before he even looked at the replays and slo-mos and he wasn't going to be convinced otherwise

Sards, it is a bit harsh to be throwing out those types of comments. When I first saw the pass in real time I thought it was forward and only looking at it for a few times in slo mo was it apparent that it was not forward. I feel he was influenced by the crowd watching and making a noise about the pass. He should not have been and at most the decision was biased. If he was on the take there were a number of other instances where he could have intervened. The Saders maul try for example, where a defender was taken out away from the ball. Technically it could have been called back but I was ok with it not being called back as I dont believe it would have prevented the try.

The problem with Jonker is that he always believes he's right and he doesn't change his mind. He had decided that it was forward before he even looked at the replays and slo-mos and he wasn't going to be convinced otherwise

My point exactly...he was determined to overturn the try...and he was not influenced by the crowd...if anything he influenced the crowd...I hope he enjoys his week long stay on one of the provinces wine farms all expenses paid.

But there is an irony to all this...It seems we have cottoned onto influencing matches and taken this away from the Kiwis...we just need to refine it so that its not so obvious and blatant.

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

FFS! I know you guys are trolling but can we quit with the corruption smears? It was an error - a very bad one that Jonker will no doubt be embarrassed about but it does not help to suggest that he was taking a bung for it....🤦🏻‍♂️

The trouble is it is such a text book perfect pass.

Oh sorC...

look where the receiver is relative to the passer as he catches the pass. He's still behind the passer. The ball moved backwards between the two...

jens will have difficulty wiping that egg off his face, I recommend a cold chisel to loosen it off as a starter?

Why?

I said Jonker had it wrong.

Still don't think Rasta blew a bad game but he got caught up in the numbers, skewed but Seconds' 20:1 calls. There is nothing wrong with Rasta's numbers in the Bulls/Saders game or the Lions/Clan game

Actually I think Safrica has finally unearthed 2 good referees in Ravishenge(spelling?) and Jacobs. Jonker a relic of the bad old days, but rotten refereeing has never hurt his career in the past (or Nigels, or Craigs, or Poites, or...etc., etc.,)

jens will have difficulty wiping that egg off his face, I recommend a cold chisel to loosen it off as a starter?

Why?

I said Jonker had it wrong.

Still don't think Rasta blew a bad game but he got caught up in the numbers, skewed but Seconds' 20:1 calls. There is nothing wrong with Rasta's numbers in the Bulls/Saders game or the Lions/Clan game

He was only calling one side you mongol!

Sure, some of those penalties against the Landers were valid. But when the Lions infringed, especially when they knew they could get away with it, he wasn't calling them at all! Total homer, and not the first instance.